Transcript

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The George Fox University Embedded Librarian ! Program Robin Ashford, Charles Kamilos and Merrill Johnson, George Fox University 2011 Commission on Technology Conference - June 1, 2011 Title Slide: Speaker, Robin Ashford: I’ll be starting with an overview of how and why the program came about, then I’ll move on to what was involved in developing and promoting the program, as well as the challenges and benefits experienced thus far. Next, my colleague, Charles Kamilos, Senior Librarian, Portland Center Library will share about his experiences as an embedded librarian. Lastly, Merrill Johnson, GFU University Librarian, will address the issues of cost, assessment and sustainability of the program.

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How the program came about! A librarian and hybrid learning director began discussing how online student information resource and service needs were being met It became apparent that a link to the library website from within our Moodle (FoxTALE) Learning Management System (LMS) was not enough Slide 2 During an informal discussion with the universitys Hybrid Learning Director (HLD), it became apparent that her department was struggling to direct online and hybrid students inside the Moodle LMS to satisfactory library and information resources and services. After discussions with the University Librarian and further discussion with the HLD, it was agreed that GFU librarians would work toward meeting the research needs of our online and hybrid students beyond simply providing a link to our library website. Though there was not adequate time for sufficient preparation and analysis, the problems were serious enough to require some immediate attention. Much discussion and planning ensued but first...

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Why? • Online librarian services were needed in order to provide equitable service to all GFU students Slide 3 As the number of hybrid and online courses increased, we needed to provide comparable quality service opportunities to all GFU students. Though a link to the library website was provided in all moodle courses, our traditional students taking on-­‐campus courses have librarians available to teach library research classes, and are also available to meet one-­‐on-­‐one for research consultations by simply walking into the library and approaching the reference desk. Online/hybrid students typically would not receive a library orientation or instruction sessions by a librarian. If not by this means, we would have to come up with some way to service a large percentage of students who would not otherwise have their information literacy needs (how to find, access, and evaluate information) met.

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How it evolved • Further discussions revealed scope of need • Embedding librarians inside our existing Moodle Learning Management System (LMS), to be available at the point of need, made the most sense. Slide 4 How many online courses and hybrid programs did our university have? -­‐ How much growth was expected? – Though we were able to learn what was taking place at the moment, there were no definitive answers at this point as to the overall university plan. We began discussing how librarians could best utilize the moodle system to meet student needs where their teaching and learning was taking place.

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!"#$%&%(#%)(*"+",-./"%0(1 1 (2(34&5(5.#6"7(6$"#0")(8-$( ,&9$#$&#%5(9:(04"(4:9$&)( ,"#$%&%()".0;7(<-=,)(#,5-( 4-=5"(04"(6-%0"%0(0-(9"( &%5"$0")(&%(!>?(6-=$5"5(1 1 Slide 5 First, it was necessary to learn the moodle system -­‐ The HLD set up a Library Development Moodle site for experimentation. I also attended a teaching in moodle class that is regularly offered to online instructors. The instruction and hands-­‐on learning process helped spur ideas about how best to utilize the librarians expertise within the moodle system. Time was also spent researching what other institutions were doing to serve their online students. The main question needing to be addressed was, what would be the most efficient way to go about developing an effective high-­‐quality program with limited human resources.

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!"#$%&()$*+,$- ./0"12$3$)#2&420$5#/.$ 1(%#&#6$72%(42$)/84284$ &80$02(9820$4/$:#/;(02$- 9282#&1$(85/#.&4(/8$ &::1()&%12$4/$&11$)/"#2- Slide 6 We decided to begin by utilizing content librarians had already created for our library website. Important components of the library website were given to the HLD, who created this module for the Moodle "new admit" sites (a type of home site for each program serving all the courses within the program). The components include a short introduction to the library, a link to our more general short library videos as well as links to our subject guides, Research 101 tutorial and our “Ask a Librarian” link.

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Creating custom content – Learning screen recording and video editing software Slide 7 Next, for online courses with a research component we needed to create course specific modules with further instructions and video tutorials demonstrating subject specific databases. Other librarians needed to become involved in the program and the process of creating custom content as well. A librarian from the Newberg campus, who would serve our new online General Ed. undergrad courses, and who had already worked with me on our website tutorials, was recruited, along with our theological librarian from the Portland Center, who you will hear from soon. Choosing and learning screen recording and video editing software was next. Camtasia was already being used by myself and another librarian to create the tutorials on our library website. Also, the theological librarian and I had begun using Jing to send individual screencasts to our distance students looking for help. Our library director also learned Jing to understand what we were doing and helped out by creating a couple of videos as well. iMovie was learned and utilized along with PPT to create the video we would end up using to promote our program to online teaching faculty.

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!"#$%&()*+,&-.)(%*)& /01+(21&*1.3&,$3& 4$-35&()*+,"6.7& ,+7(%.)&+#*$"#& +(-).&)8."9& +#*.#*&$#7&:("%*/"#&& %":-$-"$#&$))")*$#.&; Slide 8 The final customized module for those courses with a research component varies but all look something like this (shaded areas auto-­‐link to places within the moodle site and colored text links to outside sites). Included is a link to our general library videos as well as a link to the "Ask Your Librarian" forum (a place where students can post questions in the course site and the librarian and others in that forum are auto-­‐notified via email. When the librarian is notified they login to the Moodle course site to answer the question for all in the class to see and benefit). Short customized video demonstrations of subject specific databases are included and additional videos can be created if requested by the instructor. This is meant to closely replicate the face-­‐to-­‐face library research instruction classes provided to the majority of our face-­‐to-­‐face students taking courses involving research papers.

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!"#$%&(&)*$+),$ %&*-#.$)/.$0/,-&12-0/,$ %&30.#.$-$/40/#$ -#)2"0/($5)214-6$30)$)$%)(#$ /$1&$407&)&6$+#7,0-#8$9 ":%8;;70-<46;*=74#79 9 Slide 9 The HLD and librarian began to plan how we would get the word out to faculty teaching in the LMS. The end product, the embedded librarian program page of our website, is shown here. In addition, our HLD, when designing new courses for faculty, informs those with a research paper that including an embedded librarian is an option for their courses. The next slide will show the simple google form we created that’s linked here and after that I’ll play the embedded 2min youtube video shown here.

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!"#$%&&()%*(+,$-+./0 %1*+2&+&1%*#3$%$4++4#0 3&.#%53"##*$%,5$3#,53$0 #/%($,+*(6)%*(+,$*+0 5#3(4,%*#5$&#+&#$-.+/0 *"#$(7.%.8$%,5$"87.(5$0 #%.,(,4$5#&%.*/#,*0 Slide 10 This form then automatically populates a google spreadsheet and sends out an email notification to designated people that the form has been edited signaling a need to check for changes/additions, etc. Explaining/Promoting the Program – Video http://youtu.be/oEwaBXNV55o Slide 11

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Challenges Most challenges relate directly or indirectly to the need for time • Ever-changing technologies = need to relearn and redo • Training of librarians • Need for ongoing evaluation/development - what is working, what is not, make changes – iterative cycle • Communication between faculty/librarians/hybrid learning department/IT Slide 12 Benefits • Online students have access to comparable librarian service and resources • Librarians better understand needs of online students • Faculty are assured students know where to find needed resources to complete assignments • Increased efficiency – course content created for online students is accessible to all librarians to be reused when needed and applicable for other students • Librarians become conversant with useful technologies Slide 13

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Another Librarian’s Experience – Cohort Model • Embedded Librarian - Point of need • Cohort professional doctoral courses o Need is more frequently needed across the extent of the program • Student anxiety significantly higher o Professional degree o Most never thought theyd be engaged in a doctoral degree program • Embedded librarian placement is different o Point of need shifts • Typically see students o At beginning of program - first f2f o Each f2f thereafter Slide 14 Speaker, Charles Kamilos: The strength of this approach to service is to provide librarian presence at the students point of need, i.e., when they are beginning a research project or paper. In a cohort model, especially professional doctoral students, the point of need is usually perceived to be throughout the whole process of obtaining the degree. These are pastors, chaplains, and other ministry professionals. The Master of Divinity is considered the terminal degree for ministers. After 90 semester hours, most ministers are tired and feel that they are done -­‐ thank God! Students are encourage right out of the gate to begin research not just for their current course work but for their dissertation as well. Overwhelming! Most students feel the need for help from day one until the day they defend their work. Unlike many remote programs where we may NEVER see the students, most DMin students are on campus twice a year, not all but most.

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Another Librarians Experience ! Doctor of Ministry • Easy to Explain • Creates enthusiasm • Generates a Really? response • Communicates eagerness to serve • Librarians do this techy stuff? • Academic Program Managers like it Slide 15 Charles Kamilos: -­‐ Delighted to discover that 1. Easy to explain, that is, students and faculty get the concept right away, even if they do not fully understand the full value of it and 2. Both students and faculty are very enthusiastic about this. It helps them to feel like the distance (their remoteness from campus) is somewhat bridged by this. They arent thrown-­‐out-­‐there alone 3. Really? You can do this? Youd do this for me? 4. One of the best outcomes is to observe the lights come on that we librarians are seriously eager to help them through their program. Most professional doctoral students are at least afraid of research, if not terrified by it. 5. There is significant incredulity that librarians can engage in this sort of technical collaboration. There is a palpable sigh of relief that we can help them within the context of their course work. 6. Program managers absolutely love that librarians are willing to assist in the marketing of the program. When I was at the last orientation f2f, one student was tweeting each aspect of this that he found "awesome", from my hair style to the willingness to serve. These tweets go far and wide and interest others to look into GFES DMin programs.

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Analyze before beginning program • How far is the university likely to go with online courses? Stated objectives? Whats the potential universe that will need supporting? • How good is the existing infrastructure? I.e., support from IT (academic), knowledge base and human resource capacity in the library. • How will this be administered/implemented within the library, i.e. work assignments? • Is the program of sufficient value that it should shift priorities in the library? • Determine priorities and say "no" in some cases if necessary. • Are there time saving alternatives? • Can the product be used in other ways that save time and/or add benefit? E.g., use of the video tutorials. Slide 17 Merrill Johnson: Analyze before beginning program